Cable ripper

ABSTRACT

A PAIR OF FIRST AND SECOND CROSSED AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED LEVERS INCLUDING REAR HANDLE ENDS AND FRONT JAW ENDS. THE JAW END OF THE FIRST LEVER DEFINES A CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF AND OPENING TOWARD THE OTHER JAW END AND INCLUDES A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CUTTING LEVER HAVING A REAR BASE END AND A FRONT CUTTING END. THE CHANNEL OPENS TOWARD THE   CUTTING LEVER AND THE BASE END OF THE CUTTING LEVER IS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED FROM THE JAW END OF THE FIRST LEVER FOR OSCILLATION OF THE FRONT CUTTING END THEREOF TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CHANNEL AND THE JAW END OF THE SECOND LEVER IS CONNECTED TO THE CUTTING LEVER FORWARD OF ITS AXIS OF OSCILLATION.

Get. 19, 1971 c, mcco c I 3,613,235

CABLE RIPPER Filed May 15, 1970 Thomas 6. McCormick INVIzN'IUK.

@Mmm. MIA WW EM?! United States Patent Olfice 3,613,235 Patented Oct.19, 1971 3,613,235 CABLE RIPPER Thomas C. McCormick, Eugene, reg.,assignor of a fractional part interest to John P. Neufeld, Eugene,

Oreg.

Filed May 15, 1970, Ser. No. 37,673 Int. CI. 13211: 13/00 US. Cl. 3091.16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of first and second crossedand pivotally connected levers including rear handle ends and front jawends. The jaw end of the first lever defines a channel extendinglongitudinally along one side thereof and opening toward the other jawend and includes a longitudinally extending cutting lever having a rearbase end and a front cutting end. The channel opens toward the cuttinglever and the base end of the cutting lever is pivotally supported fromthe jaw end of the first lever for oscillation of the front cutting endthereof toward and away from the bottom of the channel and the jaw endof the second lever is connected to the cutting lever forward of itsaxis of oscillation.

The cable ripper of the instant invention has been specifically designedto form a longitudinal cut in insulation surrounding an electricalconductor such as a metallic wire. The cable ripper includes a channelfor embracingly engaging the insulation to be cut and a cutting leverincluding a cutting end oseillatable toward and away from the bottom ofthe channel through which the insulation to be slit or cut islongitudinally shifted as the cutting end of the cutting lever is urgedtoward the bottom of the channel. In this manner, the cutting end of thecutting lever, which defines a cutting edge extending longitudinally ofthe cutting lever and projecting outwardly from the side thereofadjacent the bottom of the channel, can be urged down into theinsulation to be out while the insulation is slid through the channel tothus advance the cutting edge of the cutting lever through theinsulation lengthwise of the latter.

The cable ripper is constructed in a manner whereby pressure on thecutting lever is applied thereto evenly and without any tendency of thecutting lever to be cocked relative to its axis of rotation.

In addition to the cutting lever a hold-down lever is also oscillatablysupported for swinging movement about an axis coinciding with the axisof oscillation of the cutting lever and includes a bifurcated portionwhich also bears down upon the insulation being cut and between whosefurcations the cutting edge of the cutting lever projects. By thisconstruction, the insulation to be cut is gripped against lateralshifting relative to the cutting edge of the cutting lever during thecutting operation and the insulation to be cut is compressed along twopaths immediately adjacent and on opposite sides of the cut being madeby the cable ripper in the insulation.

The main object of this invention is to provide a tool forlongitudinally slitting or cutting insulation disposed about a conductorwire.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide an insulation cutting tool constructedin a manner whereby the depth of penetration of the cutting memberthereof is accurately controlled.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an insulationstripper constructed in a manner whereby the insulation to be cutlongitudinally of the associated electrical conductor is frictionallyretained against lateral shifting relative to the cutting blade of thecutter.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cutting tool forlongitudinally slitting insulation about a conductive wire and whichincludes means for positively adjustably limiting the depth of the cutto be made by the tool.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cutting tool forlongitudinally slitting insulation in accordance with the precedingobjects and including structure by which longitudinal zones of theinsulation to be out are compressed on opposite sides immediatelyadjacent the cut being formed by the tool.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide an insulation cutting tool in accordance with the precedingobjects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, beof simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device thatwill be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble freein operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the insulation cutting tool of theinstant invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the jaw end portions of thecrossed and pivotally connected levers of the insulation cutting tool;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the jaw ends of the levers ofthe tool in assembled relation;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG.4 and with an associated insulated electrical conductor in operativeposition illustrated in phantom lines; and

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the assemblage illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates the cable ripper of the instant invention. Theripper 10 includes a pair of first and second levers 12 and 14 which arecrossed and pivotally connected by means of a removable pivot fastener16. The lever 12 includes a handle end 18 and a jaw end 20 while thelever 14 includes a handle end 22 and a jaw end 24.

The forward end of the jaw end 20 defines an upwardly opening generallysemi-cylindrical channel member 26 including a longitudinal extendingbottom wall 28. The

channel member 26 is formed as an integral portion of the jaw end 20 andopens upwardly toward a laterally projecting force arm defining terminalend portion 30 of the jaw end 24 which projects transversely above thechannel member 26 generally centrally intermediate its opposite ends.The jaw end 20 is notched as at 32 whereby the terminal end portion 30may be swung downwardly into close proximity with the bottom wall 28 ofthe channel member 26 and a hold-down lever referred to in general bythe reference numeral 34 is pivotally supported from the jaw end 20 bymeans of a pivot fastener 36 threadedly secured in the jaw end 20 andwhich also pivotally supports the rear end of a cutting lever referredto dinzgeneral by the reference numeral 38 from the jaw en The hold-downlever 34 includes a base end portion 40' which is generally U-shaped inconfiguration and includes a pair of upstanding parallel flanges 42 and44 having aligned apertures 46 formed therethrough. The lowerlongitudinal marginal edge portions of the flanges 42 and 44 areinterconnected by means of a bight portion 48 and the forward end of thebight portion 48 is inclined downwardly and notched as at 50 so as todefine a bifurcated forward end portion.

The cutting lever 38 has an aperture 50 formed through its rear base endand includes 2. depending cutting edge 52 on its forward end. Thefastener 36 includes a diametrically reduced terminal end 54 and alarger diameter smooth shank portion 56. The shank portion 56 extendsthrough the apertures or bores 46 and 50 and the terminal end 54 isthreadedly engaged in a threaded bore 58 formed in the jaw end 20.

The flange 44 includes an inclined slot 60 and the cutting lever 38includes a similar inclined slot 62 which is registered with the slot60. The terminal end portion 30 of the jaw end 24 projects through theslots 60' and 62 and accordingly, a pin and slot connection is definedbetween the jaw end 24 and the levers 34 and 38.

The handle end 22 of the lever 14 includes a laterally directed flange66 through which an abutment screw 68 is threadedly engaged and theflange 66 is opposed by a laterally directed flange 70 carried by thehandle end 18 of the lever 12. Further, a swing type cutting blade 72has its base end pivotally supported from the handle end 18 of the lever12 by means of a pivot fastener 74 and the free end of the cutting blade72 includes a cutting edge 76 disposed in shear relation with the uppermarginal edge portion of the handle end 18 of the lever 12.

In operation, a conductor such as conductor 78, see FIG. 4, andincluding an outer insulative covering 80 is positioned with one endportion thereof cradled in the channel member 26 when the handle ends 18and 22 are swung away from each other. This of course causes the forwardend of both the cutting lever 38 and the holddown lever 34 to swingupwardly to provide the necessary spacing between the levers 34 and 38and the channel member 26 to receive the conductor 78 with itsinsulation 80 within the channel member 26.

After the conductor 78 has been thus positioned, the handle ends 18 and22 are moved toward each other and this movement causes the terminal endportion 30 to swing the front ends of the levers 34 and 38 downwardlytoward the bottom wall 28 of the channel member 26 until the cuttingedge 52 is forced into the insulation 80 and the furcations 84 and 86disposed on opposite sides of the slot or notch 50 are compressivelyengaged with the insulation 80 immediately adjacent and on oppositesides of the cutting edge 52. Then, with pressure applied to the handleends 18 and 20 to maintain the spatial relation of the handle ends 18and 22, the conductor 78 is pulled to the left while the tool is pulledto the right as viewed in FIG. 4 of the drawings whereby the insulation80 will be cut by the cutting edge 52.

Adjustment of the abutment screws 68 will limit movement of the handleends 18 and 22 toward each other and thus the depth of the cut made bythe cutting edge 52. Further, the frictional engagement of thefurcations 84 and 86 with the insulation 80 also has the effect oflimiting the depth of penetration of the cutting edge 52 and inasmuch asthe hold-down lever 34 as well as the cutting lever 38 are disposed onone side of the jaw end 20 and the terminal end portion 30 is carried bythe jaw end 24 which is disposed on the other side of the jaw end 20,downward pressure applied to the hold-down lever 34 4 as Well as thecutting lever 38 is evenly applied to these levers with substantially notendency of the applied pressure tending to cock either of the levers 34and 38 relative to their pivot fastener 36.

The cutting blade 72 includes a laterally directed thumb or fingerengageable portion 90 which overlies the upper marginal edge portion ofthe handle 18 of the lever 12 when the cutting blade 72 is swung to aposition generally paralleling the lever 12. The cutting blade 72 may beutilized to cut a conductor in two by placing the conductor to be cutbetween the cutting edge 76 and the upper edge of the handle end 18 ofthe lever 12 after which rearward and downward pressure is applied tothe laterally directed portion 90 so as to shear the conductor to be outbetween the upper edge of the lever 12 and the cutting edge 76.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

I claim:

1. A pair of first and second crossed and pivotally connected leversincluding rear handle ends and front jaw ends, the jaw end of the firstlever defining a channel extending longitudinally along one side of thefirst lever and opening toward the other jaw end, said jaw end of thefirst lever also including a longitudinally extending cutting leverhaving a rear base end and a front cutting end, said cutting leverextending longitudinally of the jaw end of the first lever and thechannel opening toward the cutting lever, the base end of the cuttinglever being pivotally supported from the jaw end of the first lever foroscillation of the front cutting end of the cutting lever toward andaway from the bottom of the channel, the jaw end of the second le-verincluding means operatively connected to the cutting lever forward ofits axis of oscillation for swinging the forward end of the cuttinglever toward the bottom wall of the channel in response to swingingmovement of the jaw end of the second lever toward the jaw end of thefirst lever.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means on the jaw end of thesecond lever and connected to the cutting lever includes a laterallydirected extension carried by the jaw end of the second lever, thecutting lever having a longitudinal slot formed therein intermediate itsopposite ends through which the laterally directed extension of the jawend of the second lever is received, whereby a pin and slot connectionis defined between the jaw end of the second lever and the cuttinglever.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said jaw end of said first leverfurther includes a pressure lever generally paralleling the cuttinglever and having its base end pivotally supported from the jaw end ofthe first lever for oscillation about an axis concentric with the axisof oscillation of the cutting lever, the front end of the pressure leverincluding a bifurcated end portion, said cutting end including a cuttingedge projecting between the furcations of the bifurcated end of thepressure lever, said means carried by the jaw end of said second leverand connected to said cutting lever also being connected to saidpressure lever for oscillation of the latter simultaneously with thecutting lever.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said means on the jaw end of thesecond lever and connected to the cutting lever includes a laterallydirected extension carried by the jaw end of the second lever, thecutting le-ver having a longitudinal slot formed therein intermediateits opposite ends through which the laterally directed extension of thejaw end of the second lever is received, whereby a pin and slotconnection is defined between the jaw end of the second lever and thecutting lever, said pressure lever also having a longitudinal slotformed therein through which said lateral extension is received, wherebya pin and slot connection is also defined between the jaw end of thesecond lever and the pressure lever.

5. The combination of claim 1 including adjustable abutment meanscarried by one of said handle ends and shiftable toward and away fromthe other of said handle ends for limiting movement of said handle endstoward each other.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means on the jaw end of thesecond lever and connected to the cutting lever includes a laterallydirected extension carried by the jaw end of the second lever, thecutting lever having a longitudinal slot formed therein intermediate itsopposite ends through which the laterally directed extension of the jawend of the second lever is received, whereby a pin and slot connectionis defined between the jaw end of the second lever and the cuttinglever, said jaw end of said first lever including a notch formed thereinopen- 2,363,758 11/1944 Thompson 3091.1 3,197,865 8/1965 Bourdier 309l.1X

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,035,717 8/1958 Germany 3091.1 525,691 9/1940 GreatBritain 30-91.1

ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner M. KOCZO, JR., Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 81-95 R, 381

